Solid fuel boilers. Wood-burning boilers for heating private houses

Solid fuel boilers are the most popular for heating systems in private homes. With the help of such heating devices, you can create an autonomous system for heating a room in the absence of gas mains and power outages.

Solid fuel heating boilers are divided according to the material of manufacture into:

• cast iron
• steel

The body of the cast iron heater consists of several sections connected to each other threaded connections. In case of repair, this design will allow the section to be replaced. The number of sections determines the power of the unit - the more sections, the more powerful.

Boilers solid fuel heating They are quite unpretentious in operation and can maintain heat transfer in the house for a long time. In addition, cast iron is a very durable material - it is not subject to corrosion and destruction. Products made of cast iron have a long lasting service life (up to 50 years). The disadvantage of the heating device is its not very high efficiency.

Steel boilers for heating private houses have a lighter monolithic design with increased resistance to critical pressure changes. They have increased efficiency.

Heating appliances made of steel are quite susceptible to corrosion, as a result of which their service life is reduced (10-15 years).

By fuel loading method devices are distinguished:

• automatic
• with manual loading

Solid fuel units are divided according to the design of the built-in automation:

• volatile
• non-volatile

The devices are divided into classical and pyrolysis (gas generating) devices.

Classic boilers

The operating principles of a classic solid fuel heating boiler resemble the process combustion of fuel in a house stove, as a result of which heat is generated. Combustion in the boiler occurs thanks to a special grate through which an air flow is supplied. Fuel enters through the upper door, ash is removed and the combustion process is regulated through the lower door. The heat exchanger is usually steel or cast iron.

Advantages of classic boilers:

• opportunity to work for various types fuel;
• mounting a gas or liquid fuel burner;
• energy independence.

The heating system of private houses using a classic boiler requires regular fuel supply, as well as the need for a special room in the house for the boiler room.

Pyrolysis boilers

Pyrolysis solid fuel boilers operate on gas, which is released during the decomposition of fuel under the influence of high temperatures and oxygen deficiency. The boiler consists of two chambers separated by grates - a combustion chamber (upper) and a lower one, in which generator gas is burned.

Fuel is loaded into the upper chamber and ignited, after which the fan is automatically switched on. At a temperature of 250 o C, the wood is charred and gas is released, which flows down through ceramic nozzles. Here the gas is mixed with clean air, during which the ignited mixture reheats the fuel in the upper chamber. Without air access, gradual decomposition and gasification of the fuel occurs - pyrolysis.

Solid fuel pyrolysis boilers used for heating private houses are quite complex devices. They are equipped with a smoke exhauster, electronic control and monitoring. To increase combustion time, use fuel of a certain size - log no more than 10 cm thick.

The boiler load must be 50-100% power, otherwise its operation may be disrupted. Therefore, to heat the house in the off-season it is necessary to use other heat sources.

Features of pyrolysis solid fuel boilers:

Automatic solid fuel boilers

For the heating system of a private home, automatic solid fuel boilers are quite popular. The devices operate with automated fuel loading and ash removal functions. Fuel is supplied automatically through a transport or auger hopper. One download is designed for 3-10 days. For stable combustion, the fuel structure must be homogeneous.

Automatic heating boilers, like pyrolysis boilers, have high efficiency (up to 85%) and have a long working period.

The disadvantages of the devices are their high price and their dependence on energy. For normal operation, the unit requires a special room in the house and a separate fireproof ash receptacle.

The fuel for the heating device is granulated coal, wood pellets, and pellets of various combustible materials. The cost of such fuel is significantly higher than traditional fuel.

The design of automatic heating boilers involves replacing the pellet burner with a burner for liquid fuel. If it is replaced with grates, then the automatic device becomes a regular boiler for wood fuel.

Any boiler needs regular maintenance, which includes cleaning the equipment. For these purposes, various devices are used, which can be purchased in specialized stores: https://pelletshome.com.ua/.

Solid fuel units long burning– quite a profitable option for heating a private home. With one stack of firewood they can work continuously up to 30 hours, and on coal - five days.

Long-burning boilers are represented by such units as the Buleryan stove (Canada) and the Stropuva heating system, which is produced in the Baltic states.

In the Stropuva boiler model, combustion is supported using a special structure into which air is supplied using a telescopic tube. As a result, most of the solid fuel burns gradually. The period of one fuel filling is quite significant - up to 5 days.

Devices of the Stropuva system, used for heating private houses, are represented by two types of designs - wood-burning and universal.

The latter can operate on gas, for which a fan is built into the design, increasing the flow of air into the combustion chamber.

Due to the low temperature of the flue gases, a layer of soot may form on the chimney of a solid fuel apparatus. Wood fuel moisture content should be no more than 20%.

The Buleryan convector oven is a cylinder with built-in metal pipes. The fuel combustion process uses controlled combustion in which there is no free access of oxygen. With this method of air flow, the process of gas generation is carried out. The resulting CO enters the upper part of the furnace, where secondary combustion occurs.

The room in the house is heated using pipes that act as a convector. Air flows circulate through the pipes: cold air is taken from below and hot air enters through the air ducts after heating.

The Buleryan stove quickly warms up even unheated rooms of a private house, and after combustion of the fuel the air immediately cools down. Therefore, it is necessary for its operation. In addition, to ensure uniform heat transfer to adjacent rooms in the house, additional equipment is needed - air ducts that pump fans.

A long-burning solid fuel boiler does not require regular cleaning, since little ash remains during the combustion process. The devices operate on any fuel, and efficiency reaches 95%.

Manufacturers of boiler equipment for private homes are currently developing many models of units of various designs. One of the main advantages of solid fuel boilers is the low cost of fuel and its availability. Wood is usually used to heat a home. peat, coal, wood waste(sawdust, trimmings, etc.).

The main disadvantage of solid fuel units is the need for constant maintenance: constant loading of fuel, cleaning of combustion waste.

Owners of private houses who use for heating are well aware of the problem of cooling down the home after the firewood or coal has completely burned out. This happens at night or in the absence of the owners, when there is no one to throw new logs into the firebox. The issue can be resolved in several ways:

• use a combined wood-electric heating boiler;
• install 2 separate heat sources - solid fuel and electric;
• do not mess with electricity and install a long-burning wood-burning boiler.

We suggest that you consider the listed options in detail in order to choose the most comfortable heating method. country house.

Application of combi boilers

Heat generators operating on various energy sources did not appear yesterday. Since the times of the USSR, gas-firewood has been known, in which to switch to wood it was necessary to remove the burner device. In modern heating units, solid fuel is combined not only with gas, but also with electricity, which is more important for users. A homeowner who decides to buy a heating boiler using wood and electricity solves several issues in one fell swoop:

1. It uses two energy carriers for heating, alternative to natural gas.
2. Eliminates cooling of the premises of a private house when the contents of the firebox are completely burned and a new portion of coal or firewood is not loaded.
3. Increases the convenience of using water heating, since you no longer need to get up in the middle of the night and run to the boiler room.

Construction of an electric wood-burning boiler "Kupper" from the manufacturer "Teplodar"

The new generation combined heat generators are designed in such a way that the electric heating is switched on automatically when the water in the boiler tank begins to cool. Switching back to wood burning without the intervention of the owner of the house is impossible.

The principle of operation of an electric wood-burning boiler

The design of this type of heater is similar to that of a traditional solid fuel boiler, consisting of the following main elements:

• combustion chamber (firebox), where logs and coal are loaded;
• from the outside it is washed by a coolant enclosed inside a water jacket;
• heat exchanger of fire-tube or water-tube type, where combustion products give off most heat the water before being released through the chimney;
• the grate is located at the bottom of the firebox, and under it there is an ash chamber;
• the firebox and ash pan at the front are equipped with doors;
• To change the combustion intensity in the heat generator, a mechanical draft regulator or a fan - air blower is used (if manual control of the air damper is not provided).

Scheme of the Kuper-Carbo mine-type electric-coal heat generator

Household combi boilers heating systems differ in the design of the water jacket, which provides space for installing a block of tubular electric heaters - heating elements. The heating part of the element is immersed in the coolant, and the contacts are brought out and connected by cable to the control panel.

The operating algorithm of a solid fuel heater equipped with electric heaters looks like this:

1. The boiler is fired and heated as usual. While the wood is burning, the temperature of the coolant is maintained by a mechanical thermostat or a fan together with a sensor, and the heating elements are inactive.
2. After the contents of the firebox burn out, the water in the system begins to cool, which is recorded by the temperature sensor. When the coolant has cooled to a certain point, the sensor signal will turn on the heating element (one or more). From this moment on, the boiler switches to electricity.
3. After loading the next portion of solid fuel, the coolant is heated from the side of the combustion chamber, and the electrical part is automatically turned off until the next time it cools down.

The heater control unit can maintain a certain water temperature based on the readings of the water or air sensor

The transition from one mode to another allows for continuous heating of water, which is what the inhabitants of a private house require for comfort.

Pros and cons of universal heat generators

By installing a combination boiler for heating a private house with wood and electricity, you receive the following bonuses:

1. Thanks to the built-in heating elements, water heating will continue to function after the main firebox goes out. This will keep the house warm, and during your absence will prevent pipes and heating radiators defrost.
2. Comfort. Supporting the heating of the system with electricity will save you from night trips to the boiler room to lay logs.
3. If electricity metering is carried out according to a multi-tariff scheme, then in addition to convenience you will receive savings from the operation of heating elements at night.

Electric heaters of a combined boiler are designed only to maintain the temperature of the water in the system; they cannot fully replace the combustion of solid fuel. The reason is the insufficient power of the heating element unit installed by manufacturers on TT boilers.

Example: all “Kupper” units of the famous Russian brand “Teplodar” with a power of 9...20 kW have the same electric heaters with a heat output of 6 kW.

This is what a 6 kW heating element block looks like, used in Russian-made Teplodar, Prometheus and ZOTA wood-burning heaters

This feature of combined heat generators can easily be considered a disadvantage. The exception is low-power heaters (the same “Cooper” 9 kW with 6 kW heating elements), purchased for small-sized dwellings (up to 100 m²). In this case, the heat transfer from electricity is comparable to burning wood, so in moderately cold weather (down to about -5 °C outside), the heaters are able to completely heat a modest-sized house.

Another important point. Like a conventional solid fuel heater, a wood-electric combination boiler should be connected to water heating through a three-way valve, as shown in the diagram below. A small circulation circuit serves to protect the firebox from the harmful effects of condensation during kindling.

To prevent condensation from appearing on the walls of the combustion chamber due to temperature changes, the TT boiler must be connected according to the standard circuit with a three-way valve

If the power of the heating elements is enough to heat the coolant to a temperature of +55 °C and above, then condensation will never form in the combustion chamber of the combined boiler during lighting, and the unit with a three-way mixing valve becomes seemingly irrelevant. In reality, a small circulation circuit is still needed, at least in case of a power outage or failure of one of the heating elements.

Heating a private house with wood and electricity from one boiler also has other negative aspects:

1. The heater block takes away the useful volume of the firebox to the detriment of the combustion duration per load.
2. The operation of the unit depends on the stability of the power supply.
3. The prices of combined products are higher than classic solid fuel boilers.
4. The efficiency of electric heaters during operation is reduced by 2-5% due to the air flow passing through the cooled firebox. The reason is the constant draft in the chimney, forcing air from the premises to escape through the fuel duct into the chimney pipe and cool the water jacket of the heater.

In order to fully replace natural gas with electricity and firewood, it is better to take a closer look at another option for heating the building - install 2 separate heat sources, properly tie them and connect them to the heating system.

Connecting boilers using wood and electricity

Without a doubt, purchasing, installing and wiring two separate units will cost you more than one combined heat generator. But by implementing this option, you get full heating with two energy carriers, operating effectively in automatic mode.

Reference. In non-gas private houses Russian Federation the combined operation of a solid fuel and electric boiler is used quite often, since this is the most convenient way heat your home with wood. The combination of gas and wood is no less common, and the third place is occupied by the so-called multi-fuel boilers, which we will discuss in a separate article.

In our pair of heat sources, the wood (coal) boiler is the main one, and the electric one is the auxiliary unit. As the latter, you can use any of the three types of electric boilers offered on the market:

• traditional heating element with built-in circulation pump and control unit;
• electrode with remote control panel;
• induction with separate remote control.

We will not analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each type of electric boilers; this is the topic of another article. Here we will show in diagrams how to connect boilers using wood and electricity, so that the second one supports the first one automatically. Let's start with the joint piping of a wood-burning and heating element heating unit:

Connection diagram for 2 boilers - with electricity and wood. Thermostats ensure automatic starting of the electric boiler after the wood boiler is stopped and vice versa.

Reference. The presented circuit can be used for joint connection with a gas wall-mounted boiler, which is installed in place of the heating element.

The system operation algorithm looks like this:

1. The TT boiler is inactive and its circulation pump disabled. Heating devices receive heat from an electric boiler, which is guided by a room thermostat, where you have set the desired temperature. To prevent the coolant from moving in a circle through a parallel ring, the circuit uses 2 check valves.
2. You have melted a solid fuel unit. For some time it will begin to gain temperature, and the water will circulate in a small circle, directed by a three-way valve with a thermal head. The pump will turn on at the command of the overhead thermostat installed on the supply pipeline.
3. When the coolant in the small ring heats up to 55 °C, the temperature sensor of the thermal head located on the return line will operate. The three-way valve will open slightly and heat will flow into the heating system.
4. The electric boiler will turn off the heating upon signal room thermostat and goes into standby mode.
5. After the solid fuel burns out, the water in the system, followed by the air in the rooms, will begin to cool. The overhead thermostat of the TT boiler will “see” that the coolant has cooled down and will stop the pump.
6. When the temperature in the house drops to the value you set, the room thermostat will turn on the electric boiler again.

Important! Since the internal circulation pump of a wall-mounted heat generator cannot be turned off, a solid fuel heat source requires. As a rule, a pump with a pressure of 0.6 Bar is sufficient (in an electric boiler it is usually set at 0.5 Bar). Point two: install all overhead sensors and thermostats on metal pipes; they will lie on metal-plastic or polypropylene.

Our expert will tell you in detail how to properly connect an electric and solid fuel boiler in his video:

Induction and electrode heat generators are not equipped with their own filter and circulation pump, so the latter will have to be purchased and installed separately. This is all the difference in the connection diagram for heaters of this type, only the pump unit needs to be connected to the network through the control cabinet so that the room thermostat turns it off together with the electric boiler, as shown in the diagram:

In this scheme, the circulation pump of the electric boiler will be turned off along with it thanks to a separate control cabinet

If the heating system of a private house consists of several circuits (radiators on different floors, heated floors and an indirect heating boiler), then for collaboration wood and electric boilers are connected using the method of primary and secondary rings. The principle of operation of this type of strapping is described Using long-burning TT boilers

Not every homeowner has technical feasibility connect powerful electrical equipment, which includes combined and pure electric boilers. The reason is the limitation of the allocated power limit, for a private house. The size of the limit depends on bandwidth local power supply networks, which the owner of a country cottage cannot increase.

In the absence of natural gas on the site or if the cost of connecting to the main line is high, there is only one real solution - buy a long-burning wood and coal boiler or make it yourself. The operating time from 1 load for a conventional TT boiler is 3-6 hours, which forces the owner to work near it as a stoker. A comfortable interval between fuel additions is at least 8 hours, and not every heater provides that much.

The latest pyrolysis boiler with an increased firebox volume ATMOS D30

The trouble is that any seedy manufacturer calls their products long-burning boilers in order to sell them to an ignorant user. You can recognize the correct unit among other heat generators by the following features:

• with the same power, a boiler with a large power reserve is equipped with a firebox of increased volume (from 100 l) and differs in size;
• the passport indicates a burning duration of 8 hours (on wood);
• For convenience, the unit is equipped with an additional loading door.

Detailed information about heat generators of this type and recommendations for their selection have been published.

Conclusion

As conclusions, we will offer some simple tips for organizing comfortable heating of a private home using solid fuel and electricity:

1. A combined boiler for wood and electricity is one of the best options for a small country house or residential house. In a cottage on 2-4 floors, heating elements can only protect the system from defrosting.
2. IN country house over 100 m² it is appropriate to use 2 separate heat sources with proper piping.
3. When electricity is supplied intermittently or the power limit does not exceed 5 kW, you should not mess with electricity at all. Find the opportunity to purchase a long-burning heat generator, although the price will be more expensive than usual.
4. Do not discount the opportunity to arrange air heating using wood from a stove if it has already been purchased or built. As a safety net at night, install electric convectors or fan heaters equipped with thermostats.

The latter method is often used to heat wooden houses V Scandinavian countries, where homeowners are familiar with bitter frosts firsthand. The last video about this:

Wood boilers for home heating are still popular, despite the variety of models of gas and electric boilers, and there is a simple explanation for this: firewood is the most affordable type of fuel for country houses, not connected to the main gas.

The efficiency of modern wood-burning boilers is quite high, their efficiency reaches 85%, and not only wood, but also pellets, as well as wood waste, can be used as fuel.

Wood-burning boilers used for heating a country house are easy to connect and use - they are even easier to handle than a stove. If the installation and operation instructions are followed, they are safe. The only serious drawback of wood-burning boilers is the low level of automation of the process: loading fuel into the boiler must be done manually. A way out of the situation could be a boiler with a long-burning function or a combined boiler that runs on solid fuel and has an additional diesel or gas burner or electric heating element.

Despite the huge selection of models of wood-burning boilers, their design does not differ that much. Any wood-burning boiler for heating a house must have a fuel combustion chamber, a water heat exchanger, a chimney and an ash pan. The simplest wood-burning boiler resembles a potbelly stove with a water jacket: when wood burns in the firebox, the water heats up and enters the heating system. The efficiency of such a boiler is low, and the consumption of firewood is significant; due to incomplete combustion of fuel, part of the money literally goes down the drain. The design of modern boilers with a long-burning function is, of course, more complicated; the structure of such a boiler and its main elements are shown in the figure.

Firewood is loaded into the boiler through the top loading door in large quantities at once. The initial combustion of the fuel occurs in the gasification chamber. The supply of air, and with it the oxygen necessary for combustion, into this chamber is limited - this is how the intensity of combustion is regulated. In this mode, the wood does not burn, but smolders with the formation more heat, and the water in the heat exchanger is heated. But the combustion process does not end there: during smoldering, smoke containing flammable gases is formed. These gases enter the second chamber - the combustion chamber, which also serves as an ash pit. The air supply to this chamber is no longer limited, and with a sufficient amount of oxygen, afterburning of gases occurs. The combustion temperature of the gas-air mixture is very high, and the heating efficiency of the water heat exchanger in this chamber is also very high. As a result, the smoke is cleared of ash and harmful combustible gases, which makes the new generation of wood-burning boilers very environmentally friendly.

Pyrolysis is a long-term combustion process

Video - the principle of operation of a long-burning wood-burning boiler

Smoke is removed through a chimney duct connected to the chimney and pipe. For cold supply and outlet hot water From the heat exchanger, the boiler is equipped with pipes. They are connected to the heating system according to the selected scheme. New generation boilers are equipped with automatic equipment that makes boiler maintenance as simple as possible:

• a temperature sensor that sends a signal to the primary air supply fan;
• a pressure sensor that signals when the normal value is exceeded;
• water pressure sensors in the system.

The efficiency of solid fuel boilers directly depends on the type and quality of fuel. If the boiler is designed to operate on wood, you must not load coal or peat briquettes into it! This will reduce the efficiency of the boiler and may damage it. It is also not recommended to use poorly dried firewood and coniferous wood to fire a wood-burning boiler - they burn with the formation of large amounts of steam, resins and soot, and the boiler will have to be cleaned much more often.

Wood boilers - choice

Choosing a wood boiler must begin with calculation required power– this parameter is indicated in the boiler passport and is measured in kilowatts. One kilowatt of boiler power is enough to heat ten square meters well-insulated room. For example, in the middle zone, to heat a house with an area of ​​100 square meters, a boiler with a power of 10 kW is required. For frosty days and poorly insulated rooms, a power reserve of 20-30% is required. When choosing, you should pay attention not only to the rated power, but also to the entire range in which the boiler can operate - in the fall and spring it is not advisable to heat the boiler at full power. If you plan to use the boiler also to produce hot water, then you will need an external boiler and an additional supply of boiler power based on the number of people permanently living in the house.

The boiler material – steel or cast iron – plays an important role. Steel boilers are lighter and have a simpler firebox design, which is easier to clean - just remove the ash from the ash pan. The smoke channel of steel boilers is longer, so heating of the coolant occurs more efficiently. Cast iron boilers have a shorter smoke channel, and a larger heat exchange area is achieved due to the ribbed surface in which combustion products settle; a cast iron boiler will have to be cleaned using brushes, scrapers and pokers. At the same time, the heat capacity of the boiler itself is higher for cast iron models.

A separate type is electric wood-burning boilers, which use electricity to further increase efficiency. Modern automation monitors the combustion process and influences it using valves that regulate the flow of incoming air into the firebox, so you can control the temperature in the firebox at a given level!

Wirbel steel wood burning boiler

An important indicator is the ratio of the volume of the loading chamber to the boiler power. To put it simply, how many times a day will you have to approach the boiler to load fuel. For steel boilers this figure is usually higher - on average 1.5-2.5 l/kW versus 1.1-1.4 l/kW for cast iron boilers - therefore, loading is carried out less frequently.

Be sure to make sure that there is an emergency cooling system and clarify the principle of its operation. This system may be needed if the boiler overheats and water boils in the heat exchanger. Boilers with a separate emergency cooling circuit are safer; if emergency cooling is achieved by abruptly draining water from the heat exchanger and replacing it with cold water, make sure that the boiler is resistant to thermal shock.

Protection against burns is an important indicator, especially if access to the boiler room is open to strangers or children. A useful option is heat-insulated firebox handles, protective casings and grates, and thermal insulation of the hottest surfaces of the boiler.

Thermal protection of boilers is a mandatory safety condition

Wood boilers - installation requirements

Efficient and safe operation of a wood-burning boiler is impossible without correct installation. How to install a boiler with your own hands without violating safety rules?

Installation location

Any wood boiler during operation consumes quite a large number of air, so for low-power boilers that can be installed in common areas of the house, supply and exhaust ventilation, and with a boiler power of more than 50 kW, it is necessary to install a separate boiler room with a useful room volume of 8 cubic meters or more. Wood-burning boilers are installed on a solid, level base with a fireproof coating - concrete, tile, porcelain stoneware. The walls must also be lined non-flammable materials. The boiler room is equipped with forced ventilation.

Chimney requirements

The chimney for a wood-burning boiler is made of of stainless steel, ceramics or thick-walled metal pipe. Optimal choice chimneys are made of stainless steel sandwich type. They are easily assembled from various elements - pipes held together with clamps, roof passages, unloading platforms. When bending such a chimney, bends are used at a certain angle. It is allowed to exhaust the boiler chimney not through the roof, but through the wall of the building. The height of the straight part of the chimney for stable draft in the boiler must be at least 6 meters for a 16 kW boiler and at least 10 meters for a 32 kW boiler, with a pipe diameter of 200 mm.

Service and maintenance

It is also necessary to clarify the service and warranty conditions for the selected boiler model, the proximity of service centers and the possibility of calling specialists for installation and repair. It may happen that servicing a cheaper model will cost significantly more than analogues from well-known companies with service centers in large cities.

Video - self-installation of solid fuel boilers

Wood-burning boilers for heating a house after installation are connected to a water heating system. For uninterrupted operation of the system, you can additionally install a tank-heater on electric heating elements, in this case you will not have to add firewood during your night's rest or when you are away from home.

Gasification of our country began a very long time ago. And yet we still have plenty settlements, where gas pipelines have not yet reached. As a result, residents are forced to look for alternative heat sources. They became wood-burning boilers that run on the cheapest fuel - wood. And if you can get firewood completely free, then the heat will become as cheap as possible, since you will only need to spend money on the boiler, pipes and batteries. In this review we will study the main types of solid fuel equipment and consider their features.

Operating principle and features

In the absence of a gas main, we can choose the following equipment in the form of boilers to heat houses:

• Electric - they are distinguished by their cheapness, but consume a huge amount of electricity;
• Liquid - heat is cheaper, but consumers are forced to store fuel somewhere;
• Wood-burning - the most economical, and in some cases the most cheap way heating

Wood-burning boilers for heating a home are a reasonable alternative to other heat sources. This is relevant in rural areas, where there is a low level of income of the population.

An important disadvantage of liquid equipment is that the smell of diesel fuel or used oil spreads throughout the house, and it is very difficult to remove all this.

Design features

A wood-burning boiler, unlike its gas and electric counterparts, is a fairly simple and understandable unit. This reduces the likelihood of breakdown and simplifies possible repairs in the future.

These designs are characterized by extreme simplicity, because they originated from ordinary potbelly stoves. Manufacturers still had to solve several problems - to make the equipment more convenient to use and more efficient. All these problems are completely solvable, so modern heating boilers on wood they are characterized by high efficiency and ease of use. The most difficult thing about them is to light the flame, after which all that remains is to periodically add firewood.

A solid fuel wood boiler is distinguished by the most simple device. Its heart is the combustion chamber in which the logs are burned. The resulting heat passes through a heat exchanger, and its residues are removed through the chimney. Heat exchangers in such units are most often made using a fire-tube design - this allows them to withstand a large thermal load.

Solid wood residues fall through the grate into the ash pit. The ash pan is a very important part. This is where unburnt fuel particles, small coals and ash collect. The ash pan needs to be cleaned every few days, as it quickly becomes clogged. Devices with drawers

for ash - they are more convenient to use. By the way, it is not necessary to dispose of the ash, because it is a safe organic fertilizer. If you have a plot with a vegetable garden, you can use the ash to feed crops.

How they work

The operating principle of wood boilers is very simple:

• Significant disadvantages include high fuel consumption and the impressive dimensions of the required supply of this same fuel. Ideally, you will have to allocate a whole room for this.
• Burning wood produces heat, which is absorbed by the heat exchanger;
• The coolant flowing through the heat exchanger is sent to radiators that warm the rooms;

The coolant is sent back to the boiler, where it is heated again.

Here we see the most common convection heating scheme, which is used in traditional gas units. It is profitable to heat households with such wood-burning devices - the cost of firewood is quite low, the cost for one season will be only 10-15 thousand rubles when heating a house of 100-150 square meters. m. The calorific value of wood fuel is high, so a lot of heat is generated during combustion. Unfortunately, some of it flies down the chimney, but this problem is solved with the help of pyrolysis wood boilers - we will look at them in the next section of our review.

Varieties

Wood-burning solid fuel boilers for heating a private home are in most cases represented by classic convection units. In them, wood burns directly, forming a powerful flame, the heat from which is immediately collected by a heat exchanger. Disadvantages of this scheme:

• Lack of ability to smoothly regulate temperature;
• Not the highest efficiency;
• Virtually no automation.

Using traditional wood-burning boilers, it is difficult to maintain a certain temperature; if the combustion intensity is regulated, it is within extremely small limits.

Pyrolysis heating wood boilers are an alternative to convection devices. They are built according to a gas generator scheme. Firewood here burns in an oxygen-poor atmosphere. In fact, they do not burn, but simply smolder. Due to the high temperature, they begin to release pyrolysis products that are flammable. Combustible gases are burned in a separate chamber (called an afterburner), into which secondary air is supplied. And in order to be able to regulate the intensity of combustion, the equipment is equipped with blower fans.

Boilers built using the pyrolysis type are more complex than their convection counterparts. Here we see two chambers - in one, firewood smolders, releasing pyrolysis gases, and in the second, these gases burn at very high temperatures. high temperature, reaching +800-1000 degrees. The generated heat is absorbed by the same fire-tube heat exchanger and partially by a protective water jacket (if available).

Pyrolysis wood boilers are equipped with automation systems that control blower fans. As soon as the temperature in the heating system with batteries reaches a predetermined limit, the fan stops and the flame in the afterburner goes out. This happens until the temperature in the heating drops - then the blower fan starts, and a humming flame appears in the afterburner chamber again.

Pyrolysis gas-generating wood boilers require dry wood. Using raw logs will make pyrolysis difficult or impossible. The efficiency of this equipment reaches 90%, as the calorific value of solid fuel increases.

Advantages and disadvantages

A wood heating boiler is an excellent alternative to other types heating equipment. Heating with electricity is expensive; heating with diesel fuel or exhaust is also not without its drawbacks (although there are also advantages). Therefore, this design should be chosen as the cheapest option for organizing heating. We install it in the boiler room, install pipes around the house, install radiators, throw firewood into the firebox and enjoy the warmth.

Let's now see if everything is so good. And we will begin by describing the advantages, against the background of which there will be many disadvantages. Main positive features:

Firewood - enough cheap look fuel, but very whimsical. Only very dry logs that are not eaten by beetles can provide good, high-quality heat.

• Cheap heating - we are talking about the fact that the fuel for such boilers is quite inexpensive. And if possible, you can collect it for free in the nearest forest - to avoid problems with the law, pay attention to fallen trees, which will become an excellent source of firewood;
• You don’t need permission to install equipment - the same gas boilers you need to connect them to the main line, register them with regulatory services, and pay for annual maintenance. In other words, there is a lot of hassle;
• Easy to use - you just need to ignite the flame, and then the process will proceed independently. You just have to remember to throw new portions into the insatiable firebox;
• Safety – unlike gas or electric equipment, they are characterized by increased safety.

There are also disadvantages:

• A wood-burning boiler requires constant supervision - you need to control the temperature in the circuit and add firewood. Rapid burning of wood is a key disadvantage, but can be eliminated by choosing a boiler with a large combustion chamber (or pyrolysis unit);
• High cost of equipment - a structure made of cast iron resistant to corrosion and thermal loads will be expensive. As an alternative, you can consider cheaper steel units, but they are not reliable and have a long service life;
• To store firewood, you will have to build a woodpile - it will take up a lot of space;
• Difficulty in automation - the problem is solved by using pyrolysis wood boilers with large combustion chambers and combustion intensity control systems;
• A peculiar smoky smell in the rooms - we can’t say that it’s unpleasant, but some people don’t like it;
• The need for a separate ventilated room for the boiler room - it cannot be placed in a common room;
• Bulky - for small houses you can find a mini format, but for the most part they have large sizes. And they are mounted only on the floor, while individual gas and electric units are neatly placed on the walls, without taking up extra space.

Thus, wood-burning boilers also have negative features.

In order to ensure complete safety, it is necessary to install the boiler on a sheet of non-combustible material.

Features of wood heating

The ash pan and chimney should be cleaned on a regular basis. This will allow the boiler to serve you faithfully long years, I do not lose my effectiveness.

If you are planning to use a wood heating boiler in your home, you will need information about some of the features of heating with wood. First of all, you will need a reliable firewood supplier. Moreover, fuel must be prepared before the onset of the heating season. In some regions, firewood is in short supply and costs significantly more than in others.

Secondly, you will have to come to terms with the fact that you will need to become real - you need to monitor the temperature in the heating system, preventing overheating, bring new portions of firewood, throw logs into the firebox, make sure that the flame in the combustion chamber does not go out . If you do not buy a long-burning boiler, you will have to get up even at night so as not to chatter your teeth in the morning.

You will also need to monitor the chimney, especially if it is a narrow metal pipe– due to the accumulation of soot, thrust decreases, and in some cases this can lead to an explosion (fortunately, this a rare event). And the requirements for chimneys make you think - the greater the power of the wood-burning boiler used, the higher the pipe must be, otherwise there will be insufficient draft.

Popular factory models

If you are planning to buy a wood heating boiler, we recommend that you pay attention to the most popular models. Let's look at them in more detail and touch on approximate prices.

This boiler has earned the most positive user ratings. It is distinguished by its simplicity and versatility - it contains an electric heater, which is responsible for maintaining the temperature when the firewood is completely burned out, and users missed the moment when they needed to add a new portion of fuel to the firebox. However, heating elements may not be used.

Thermal power is 15 kW, which is enough to heat households up to 150 square meters. m. The efficiency of the device is not very high, it is 75%. Ordinary firewood is used as fuel. coal, the use of Euro-firewood is also allowed. The temperature of the coolant in the system varies from +60 to +85 degrees, the maximum pressure is 2 bar. The heat exchanger is made of steel and supplemented with a 4 kW heating element. The weight of the unit is 115 kg. Estimated price – within 17-19 thousand rubles.

We have before us a powerful wood-burning device from a well-known manufacturer that has proven itself to be the best. The power of the unit is 19 kW, the heated area is up to 190 sq. m, the coolant temperature can be adjusted from +30 to +85 degrees, despite the fact that the direct combustion of wood is used here. The efficiency is 90.2% - this is very high rate, ensuring economical fuel consumption. An undeniable advantage is the use of a two-pass multi-section heat exchanger made of cast iron.

To monitor parameters, there is a pressure gauge and thermometer on board. Estimated price – about 45 thousand rubles.

Finally, let’s look at a mechanically controlled pyrolysis wood boiler - models with electronics are much more expensive. The unit has a power of 12 kW and can heat buildings up to 120 square meters. m. At the same time, it is omnivorous - it can work on wood, briquettes, coal, peat and pellets. Its efficiency is 92%, the maximum coolant temperature is up to +95 degrees with the possibility of adjustment due to the blower. The cost varies between 54-60 thousand rubles, depending on the store’s appetites.

Video

In homes where gas supply is unavailable or prohibitively expensive, solid fuel boilers are used. This type of heating is also preferred by those who want to save money on heating their homes. It will cost 2 times cheaper than gas and 3 times cheaper than electric.

• Solid fuel heating boilers have many advantages:
• Autonomy. Since the operation of the equipment does not depend on external power sources, it will be enough to have a supply of firewood or pellets to ensure uninterrupted operation.
• Variability. Depending on the availability of raw materials, peat, coal, briquettes, firewood, and pellets can be used.
• Environmentally friendly. When a renewable raw material, wood, is used, there is no harm to the environment.

Long-burning solid fuel boiler - features of operation and operation

The main feature of equipment designed for long burning is the increased heat resistance of structural elements. The air supply system is also different. The main fuel for such boilers is coal, coke, petroleum products, and peat.

When long-burning solid fuel boilers are used for home use, after loading with coal they can operate for up to 5 days, and with wood for up to 2 days.

The undeniable advantages of this equipment are savings on inexpensive fuel and the ability to not think about its operation for several days. But it is necessary to take into account that the operating cycle:

ignition;

combustion;

attenuation;

boiler cleaning.

Range

The range of products offered includes equipment made in Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Russia.

The Bosch brand is well known to Russian buyers for the high-quality household and industrial appliances and equipment that it supplies to the market. If you are looking for the best solid fuel boiler, you should pay attention to German products. It is manufactured to high standards and of impeccable quality.

A good choice represents the Slovak brand Protherm. The model range includes solid fuel boilers used for private homes of various heated areas. The material from which the equipment is made is low-temperature cast iron, which minimizes heat loss. The equipment is complemented by special sensors that help owners easily adjust the power.

If you are looking for solid fuel boilers, the price of which includes only the cost of production with a reasonable markup, this is domestic equipment from the Zota company. The products of the Krasnoyarsk plant, operating since 1992, have earned high customer ratings as reliable and easy to use.